Yes it's Beef Stew, don't panic! It is really not as complicated as it seems. I always wanted to try this recipe but I guess I just felt out of my 'comfort zone'. It just seems so elaborate and it takes so long to cook that I decided not to try it.

But, this day I just felt like cooking something kind of 'fancy' and surprise my husband and I really was totally in the mood for it, so I said WHY NOT? And I'm glad I did because I discovered one of the most delicious comfort food recipes I've ever made.

In an oiled hot skillet, start browning your meat. The only thing you're trying to do here is adding some color to the meat that will help us create an amazing fond on the bottom of the skillet for a more flavorful broth. This is a very important step. Make sure not to cook the meat all the way trough.

After your meat has already browned, take it out and reserve it on a dish. Pour a little bit more oil and start cooking your onions and garlic. Remember we are creating a nice 'burnt' fond on the pan, that's a main key for the flavor.

Let's talk about the liquids. This recipe calls for Guinness Stout beer (of course, it's 'Irish' Beef Stew), but you can use any dark dry beer you like. For me it was a little hard to get Guinness in my local grocery store, so I bought a regular dry dark beer and I don't mean to brag but here in Germany you can't go wrong with beer, I mean we have the best of the best! If you don't want to use alcohol, you can use beef broth instead.

We are going to start the process of 'deglazing', which is when we start adding our liquids, in this case beer, to our 'pan fond' while it's still really hot and this process will allow all that brown fond to dissolve into the sauce, adding even more flavor. It sounds complicated but the only thing you have to do is add the rest of your vegetables (celery and carrots) and the beer into the pan.

Let it cook for about 3 minutes and then add the previously browned meat.

Déjalo cocer por 3 minutos y agrega la carne dorada.

The original recipe calls for fresh thyme stalks, but I personally like rosemary more so you can play with it. You can add both or whichever you prefer from these two. Add the fresh herb stalks, the tomato paste, the Worcestershire Sauce and a little sprinkle of salt.

When ready, uncover and rise heat to medium high, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens to your liking. Don't forget to check seasoning before serving. Serve hot and with your favorite side dish. I would highly recommend mashed potatoes or any form of potatoes to pair this dish.

2. Making sure your meat is dry, flour each chunk until perfectly covered. In an oiled hot skillet, start browning your meat until brown fond begins to form at the bottom of the pan and the meat is not completely cooked. Take out of the pan and reserve.

3. On that same pan, add more oil and start cooking your onions and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the rest of your vegetables and the dark beer. Allow to cook for about 3 minutes.

6. Finally add the beef broth and cover with lid. Allow to cook for about 3 to 4 hours at slow heat. When done, uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens to your liking. Don't forget to check seasoning before serving.

In the city I come from, Pambazos are not so popular, and sometimes they're hard to find. This is why, I looked up for a good recipe and decided to give it a try. I must say it takes some steps and maybe it looks like a long process, but it's actually very easy to make and put together... Totally worth it!

Let's start with the ingredients you'll need. If you're currently living in Mexico or USA, you probably won't have any problems trying to find the Guajillo Peppers. You need first to take the seeds and veins away, then cook them in boiling water.

I recommend you to previously mash your potatoes, so they're easier to incorporate to the mix. At this point you can add the necessary oil for the mixture to be moist and juicy. Don't forget to season it!

Now slice the bread in halves and keep your Guajillo Salsa close. Things are about to get messy! ;)

Parte el pan en mitades y prepárate para ensuciarte las manos ;)

This step is really important, because it marks the difference between a regular sandwich and a Pambazo. You need to hold the 2 bread halves together and carefully dip them into the salsa, making sure they're really well coated. You can use the help of a spoon to keep things easier.

Heat a pan and add a generous amount of oil. Start frying the bread until crisp and golden. To take the excess of oil, just lay the bread on a cooling rack with kitchen paper. Don't rub it or try to 'clean' it, you'll just put the 'salsa coat' away.

1. Start by preparing your ingredients. Boil the potatoes and mash them, cook the guajillo peppers and chop the onions.

2. In an oiled hot pan, cook onions for about 4 minutes or until they start to caramelize.

3. Add the chorizo to the onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add slowly the mashed potatoes until fully incorporated. At this point you can add more oil if needed. Remember the mixture has to be moist and juicy.

4. In a blender, mix the previously cooked guajillo peppers, garlic cloves, some water, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

5. First cut bread in halves. Carefully and pressing the halves together, dip the bread in the guajillo sauce. Make sure to fully coat it.

6. In a hot pan, pour a generous amount of oil and start frying the bread until crispy and golden.

7. Take one halve of bread and spread it with a generous amount of the potato- chorizo mix (make sure it's still hot).

About Me

Hello! My name is Mariana and I'm a mexican 'foodie' living in Germany. I started this blog with the idea of sharing my experiences in the kitchen and showing you how easy and fun it is to cook. Hope you enjoy to read me as much as you enjoy my recipes!